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Mina heard a series of grunts, and then from one moment to the next her world shifted and she found herself sitting astride her horse, with Lucy’s arms around her. The fog cleared from her mind, and she took the reins out of instinct.
“We have to be quick,” she said. “If you want the reins, you’ll have to be clear headed and follow Harker.”
Mina nodded and let her eyes drift until they fixed on the werewolf grunting and shaking in front of them. His back extended the bones snapping audibly, and his hands shifted. Mina's stomach turned but in seconds the wolf stood before them ready and waiting.
“Let’s go,” Lucy hissed. “We can’t waste anymore time.”
The wolf nodded, and with a snap of the reins the three of them shot out of the stables and into the courtyard.
The palace guards leapt to attention, but seeing the wolf ahead of them first, they hesitated. Lucy threw her hand out, and a flash of green energy slammed into the gates throwing them open only seconds before Harker would’ve collided with them. They charged down through the city, around the winding roads. Mina heard the shouts of alarm, the growls of wolves being alerted, but with every turn they made the sounds faded.
She wanted to look back and see how far they’d gotten ahead, but she knew if she took her eyes off Harker, she’d lose him, or lose her grip on the horse. The pain had returned to her shoulders, and hips, but she had to hold on. She had to get away, get to safety so they could all find a way out of this, so she could save Erik from this. If her Erik was even still in there to save. Shaking her head, she drove her horse faster after the werewolf. Pedestrians were few and far between on the streets but rounding through the markets a few stragglers were forced to jump out of the way as they went past.
“We have to get out of the city and into the mists. It’ll be harder for them—”
“Into the mists?” Mina shouted over the wind rushing past them.
“It will be harder for them to track us,” she said. “If we can get across the border. I can keep us safe from the curse until we find a safe place to cross back.”
“I can’t leave Erik,” Mina protested.
“What?” Lucy shouted. “He put you in the dungeon.”
Mina shook her head. “Something’s wrong with him. She’s got him under her control. Some sort of spell.”
Lucy growled. “Fine. We’ll come back for him, but we have to get somewhere safe where we can make a plan.”
“I have an idea,” Harker said. His voice carried to them on the wind.
“Lead the way,” Mina called back.
The wolf slowed in his run, and then turned them toward the quarry. Towards the barracks. Lucy’s hands tightened on her waist.
“Where is he going?” She muttered almost too low for Mina to hear.
“I don’t know, but I trust him,” she said, turning the horse to follow him.
They turned into the fighting grounds, and ahead of them Harker leapt over the fences blocking off the sparring rings, and Mina saw what he was aiming for. At the far side of the yard was a large ramp that would give them enough height to jump the outer wall of the city. At least it would if they could get Rain Dancer moving fast enough.
“Lucy, hold on,” she said, and she drove her heels into the horse’s flanks. Rain leapt over the fence after Harker, and her hooves hammered into the ground. Harker launched himself at the ramp, and with a loud growl, he leapt into the air.
Mina tensed, tightening her hands around her reins, and time seemed to slow as her horse’s hooves raced up the wooden slats of the ramp. Rain pushed off and for a terrifying moment they hung in the air. Suspended, ready for a fall. Mina exhaled and her eyes closed for the briefest of seconds.
Hooves hit stone, and then their bodies were pitching downward. Mina’s eyes opened again, and they hit the ground, and kept moving.
“Good girl,” she whispered, patting Rain’s neck as she ran after Harker. Outside the walls on the hillside, they had the space to move, but they were exposed and they had to move fast.
Cutting across the grass towards the edge of the forest that would lead them to the mists, Harker fell into step beside them.
“We have to get to the trees, I can’t hide us. I’ve used too much magic. Head for the lake, there,” Lucy shouted pointing over her shoulder.
Mina nodded, and tugged Rain in the direction she’d pointed. The lake came into view, and behind them a great screech echoed through the air.
Rain Dancer startled and came to a skidding halt, lifting her head high into the air with a loud whinny. Lucy tried to hold on but her arms slipped from Mina’s waist, and Mina’s aching arms lost their hold on the reins as she too was thrown to the ground.
Her back smacked hard into the dirt, forcing the air from her lungs. Harker’s wolf form shot past her, but it was not enough to block the sight of a massive shadow in the sky, blotting out the moon above them.
Mina scrambled back away from the horse as it ran from the sounds, and gasped unable to look away. She’d never seen anything so large in her life and it was gaining on them.
